New Car/Review

Audi A3

by Nicholas Frankl--TACH European correspondent

If there's one car manufacturer who has not only sought, but, achieved its
aims of rebuilding a brand and establishing a "niche" for its self the
four ringed Ingolstadt makers of German precise and innovative design
engineering has got the closest. Audi, once seen as a trumped-up maker of
rebadged VW's, is now out selling it's biggest competitors across Europe.
Namely Mercedes and BMW. The well mannered, spunky A4 has found more than
170,000 new age buyers so far this year (figures till August) compared with
150,000 3' series beemers and 125,000 E' Class Merc's. And sales in the US
are rocketing too.

The appeal, at least for me, is that this particular brand has somehow
managed to shake off the old dowdy image, with new fresh cars like the
brilliant A8, (the best big exec. saloon you can buy, by the way) and
combine Teutonic form with brilliant Aluminium construction without
becoming another "must have" statement item our high achievers so desire.

We've had the RS2, well, I had one for a week. Which was/is one of the
best all round automobiles you could ever aspire to own. 320 bhp, 0-60 in
five secs, top speed 163mph (limited) and all this with four friends and
the Labrador in the back. I'm often asked what I would buy if I could
have only one car and after considering the list of McLaren's, 250 GTO's
etc. I inevitably settle for the Porsche engined RS2 as a car you could
live with for life and always enjoy and how many things can you say that
about? . The bad news is, that Audi can't sell you one of these anymore
and most owners would rather give up their children then be separated from
their mother of all toys. The good news is that the new A3, which I have
just finished driving, will shortly also have a "hot" derivative in the
shape of a twin-turbo version. The A3, yup you guessed it, is Audi's
attempt to beat VW at its own game - by stealing sales from the venerable
Golf now in it's 3rd generation and soon to be reborn. The "3" is as big
as a Golf, but does with only two doors and a sort of one box design with a
long roof line - providing ample head room in the rear- and rounded rear
end. The 1.8 125 bhp car I had came with the standard cheapo wheels but as
with many designs the look of the thing can be substantially enhanced by
either buying the SE or turbo model which comes with rather yummy five
spoke alloys-the types Audi does so well-or buying them as an option.

Inside the car is spacious and well appointed, the steering wheel rimmed in
finest cowhide, with the bits left over covering the gearlever. Ah. The
gear lever. Do German engineers have genetically enhanced extra long arms?
I ask this because I found that despite being able to position the seat
and wheel in all manner of positions the end result, if you have legs
comparable to a 1.80 metres or a 6-foot frame, is that with the required
driving position, your - in my case left arm- has to stretch out and find
the stubby gear knob at every change. Not a huge concern mind, as the
change itself is relatively fuss free, easy and direct, with a shortish
movement and precise action - the answer I suppose being to move slightly
nearer the fully adjustable wheel.

Zapping around London, as good an urban test as you'll likely to find this
side of Tokyo, the little Audi (in name if not dimensions) ran smoothly,
without upsetting any of the passengers, the ride, firm and supportive,
giving a nice seat of your pants feel to the road without becoming
tiresome. This, in combination with the excellent wind isolation allowed
one to travel at above normal pace and still relax, chat or take in some
tunes, and still return very reasonable fuel consumption of over 40 mpg.

In all there are three engine variants to choose from. 1.6 litres - at
£13,796 & 117mph, 1.8 L - at £15,388 & 126mph and the 1.8 turbo at £17,860
& 135mph. The lesser engines have three option packs, standard, Sport and
SE which give you the usual bits n' bobs, all have ABS as standard which is
a good and a bad thing depending upon your driving ability.

As for major flaws. Well to be honest there isn't anything that jumps out
and says "hate me" but then again since when do you find that in any
respectable new car these days? The gearlever position is annoying, but
the engine is great, revving freely with the help of five valves per
cylinder. The dash is something very Audi, clear with lovely red back-lite
dials - but that's personal and I know others who can't stand them in any
of the models, though I would point out that the standard light for all
night time military activities is red as it has the least disturbing
"footprint" for the human eye and that can only be a good thing when you
consider that a fair proportion of drivers can't see too well in daylight
let alone after dark!

Whether this car has the character and presence to make an impact on the
Golf and lesser Beemer market is what the really counts, and I'd be
surprised if it failed to pick up a healthy slice of the ultra-competitive
market. For while most of the other manufacturers spend millions
relaunching and face lifting existing model line ups with huge media
campaigns and lavish launches, this German firm has got the bit in its
teeth and is going for the jugular of the big boys, all the while appealing
to the yuppie with a conscience, the quietly successful professional with
money to spend but not flash - the 90's man. One thing that Audi can be
sure of is an increase in market share ( the same as with the luxury A8
which is as I write is being introduced to the US market for the first time
since its launch in Europe in 1994)- because simply that's the only thing
that can happen if you crack a new segment of the market.

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